Fast Break
Men’s basketball
UConn to be ‘Battle’ foe
Gonzaga will host Connecticut in the sixth annual Battle in Seattle game on Dec. 20 at KeyArena.
Connecticut returns all five starters and its top six scorers.
The two teams played last season in Boston with the Bulldogs winning 85-82 on Dec. 1.
Basketball
T-Wolves pick girls coach
Royce Johnston has been named head girls basketball coach at Lake City High School.
Johnston, 36, takes over for Darren Taylor, who was hired as LC’s head baseball coach.
Johnston has spent his entire coaching career at the lower levels. A Plains, Mont., native, Johnston has taught the last 10 years at Woodland Middle School where he has coached eighth-grade girls. He’s also coached the LC freshmen boys for six years before moving up to the LC girls junior varsity position last year.
“One thing about Royce is he’s worked extremely hard, especially in the off-season,” LC athletic director Jim Winger said. “He’s put in his time and deserves a shot at it.”
Johnston takes over a program that has been highly successful. LC captured the state title two years ago.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Johnston said. “The cupboard isn’t cleaned out. It should be an exciting year. I’ve coached most of the girls before.”
Winger said the position was only open to in-district applicants.
“We didn’t see any reason to open it up outside because we didn’t have any teaching positions,” Winger said.
Wrestling
Owen places in Pan-Am
University graduate Brian Owen finished second and third at the recently completed Pan American Junior Championships in Cuenca, Equador.
Owen earned silver in Greco Roman and bronze in freestyle at 60 kilograms during the event, June 20-22.
He said he lost badly in the Greco finals to a wrestler from El Salvador he learned later was the returning Junior World Champion.
“It was overwhelming,” said Owen of the match. “If he wanted to take me down he was going to take me down.”
Owen lost a close match in the freestyle semifinals, giving up two exposure points while working for a takedown.
“I came out on top with the takedown, but the scoreboard read 2-1,” he said.
The United States team spent two days in the capital city of Quito and six days in Cuenca, at an elevation, Owen said, of 11,000 feet.
“It was awesome, just to see something new, just to go overseas,” said Owen of his experience.